Summary of newsmakers of the previous day – 19.4.2006

Councilmen: Since May it will be possible to shoo mina-birds by shooting

Czech vine-growers will be able to protect vineyards against mina-bird air-raids better already in this season. It will be enabled by a new public notice which permits to shoo mina-birds by shooting and by the help of birds of prey. A permission to shoot had been demanded by South-Moravian vine-growers to whom mina-birds causes by their air-raids huge losses. The public notice whose issue was initiated by the South-Moravian region should come in force in May. Marie Cacková, the South-Moravian councilwoman said it to journalists today. This information were confirm also by workers of a press department of the Ministry of Environment which will issue the public notice. Vine-growers have had to wait for its issue for three-quarters of year; originally it should protect their crops already last year. The Ministry protected itself with a length of terms in interdepartmental suggestion proceedings.

Colonies of bees run low; bee-keepers fight for mark

Bee-keepers estimate higher than usual losses in colonies of bees this year. Due to extra long winter the losses will be higher than usually. Commonly about ten percent of colonies of bees die after a winter. “This year the number will be higher but will not exceed a level of twenty percent”, claims a secretary of the Czech Bee-keepers Union, Miroslav Peroutka.

Chinese smuggled chicken meat in Italy; Europe is afraid of bird flu

It reminded an action against terrorists or drug dealers. However, armed policemen who filled two company vans this time aimed at one of shops in Milano due to something else – chicken meat. Really, in refrigerators they found out parcels of chicken legs originating from China. Policemen were interested in the meat due to a suspicion that it can contain a virus of dangerous bird flu. That was not confirmed, nevertheless, the virus H5N1 can be in a next consignment. Moreover, if similar goods once get in the European Union, sellers will be able to import them in all member stares, so also in the Czech Republic.

Nova: Somebody threats company Opavia with poisoning its products

An anonym threats two food firms with poisoning of their products. As the TV Nova informed yesterday, one of them is also a firm Opavia-LU. The case is investigated by the police who, however, conceal detailed information. Opavia asserts that it took all necessary measures and consumers are not in danger. Nova reported that the State Agricultural and Food Inspection (SZPI) which should control the safety of food products complain that it has not known of anything till this day.

Source: Agris, 20.4.2006